When Nothing Stays the Same

Pyralis spared a glance to the sky, wondering if the thick cover of gray clouds would ever release their rain. Her joints were sore, more than they had been, and as a result she'd taken a tumble, cutting the back of her left hind foot. It bled and stung but sheer stubborness pushed her deeper into what had been Aerie's territory. However, there was no pack here. Had they fled? She'd warned Eligos that the pirates would some day raid, but she'd expected him to build up his forces instead of fleeing. Had something else happened?

Pyralis sat heavily at the edge of the lake. Her age was catching up swiftly with her now and her mind turned toward her children. Asharya was such a wild spirit she had little hope of sending a messanger but as far as she knew Ashiel was settled in the old homelands. Could she send a message to him? Could she see at least one of her children one last time? She hissed as she shifted her legs, sticking the injured limb out and forward so she could bend over and lick at the wound.